


The Second Mission

by Lady_of_Frost



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Avenger! Reader, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:08:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26301688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_of_Frost/pseuds/Lady_of_Frost
Summary: You and Bucky were sent on a mission together and grow a little closer together.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 35





	The Second Mission

Bucky unlocks the door for you both and steps inside first with his duffle bag slung over his shoulder.   
He holds the door open for you as you limp inside.  
You set your own bag down on the floor as Bucky closes and locks the door behind you both.  
“How are you holdin’ up?” he asks.  
“Huh?” you mumble casting a glance at him over your shoulder.  
His brows are pinched together as he fixes you with a worried gaze.  
“Oh, I’m fine, doing as well as I can be,” you say turning from him attempting to crouch and wincing in pain before then finally giving up and sitting on the floor as you rifle through your belongings.   
You had been knocked off the edge of a building earlier in the day and sustained a nasty gash on your left thigh as you tried to catch yourself. Ultimately, it had been your teammate Bucky who had reached out for you and caught you by your arm and hoisted you back onto the roof, saving you from a several story fall.   
But your cut required stitches, so Bucky had also field dressed your wound as you only mildly complained. And now with the mission complete you were both making your way back home.  
Bucky lets out a little huff, “Well, alright, it’s probably time for me to re-dress that, so just give me a minute and I’ll-“  
“Oh don’t worry, Bucky, I got it,” you interrupt pulling out some fresh bandages and antiseptic for your cut.  
He stares over at you while he sits on the bed taking his boots off, “You sure?”  
You smile at him, “This isn’t my first mission, Buck. If anything you’re the rookie here, since I’ve been an Avenger longer than you.”  
A huge smile spreads across his face as he shakes his head, “I’ll have you know, Doll, I’m a decorated war veteran, so you should show some respect,” he says in a mock angry voice pointing a metal finger at you.  
“Ah, respect for my elders you mean?” you joke.  
Bucky laughs at that.  
He shrugs out of his jacket next revealing his olive green tank top underneath and the beginnings of the chain for his dog tags. You swallow taking in his muscled form barely obstructed by the tight clothing before your eyes drift to his left shoulder. Bucky glances back up and you swiftly turn your head away.  
“I’m going to go change and clean this up…unless you needed the bathroom first?” you ask.  
Bucky shakes his head, “Nah, Ladies first.”  
“Such a gentleman,” you tease.  
Bucky gives you a small smile.  
You go to pull out your pajamas only to realize they’re not here, so you check again.  
No.  
Surely, you couldn’t have forgotten them?  
But you did.  
Your nerves getting the better of you while you were preparing for your mission with Bucky, the first one with just the two of you, you had forgotten to pack your nightgown.   
“Something wrong?” Bucky asks.  
You lick your lips, “Uh…I just realized I forgot to pack my pajamas is all, guess I’ll just wear tomorrow’s clothes.”  
You pull out your jeans and the sweater you were going to wear on the drive back tomorrow to the airport. It’s not exactly going to be the most comfortable thing in the world, but it’s better than sleeping in your underwear with a super attractive super soldier sharing the same room.  
“What do you usually wear to bed?” said super soldier asks.  
“Um…nightgowns usually, I don’t like to wear pants to bed if I can avoid it,” you say.  
Bucky stares at you for a moment and then stands to sift through his own bag and to your surprise, pulls out a grey t-shirt of his and hands it to you.   
You take it from him, “I…thanks but this still doesn’t solve the pants issue.”  
Bucky shifts a little on his feet, “I don’t mind if you don’t wear any.”  
You raise your eyebrows at him.  
“Look, I was gonna let you sleep on the bed anyway while I sleep on the pullout couch and with your leg I don’t want you tearing those stitches that I worked so hard on,” Bucky explains.  
You blink a few times and set your clothes back in your bag.  
“Besides, I wasn’t gonna wear pants either,” Bucky adds.  
You stare at him with wide eyes and then cover your face with your hand, “Barnes, please tell me this isn’t your way of saying you sleep in the buff?”  
“What?! God No! I sleep in my boxers!” Bucky exclaims.  
You remove your hand from your face and grab a clean pair of underwear, “Alright then,” you say as you stand carefully using the edge of the tv stand to help yourself up.  
You make your way to the bathroom and close the door behind you before stripping off your clothing. You’d like a shower, but that’s probably not a good idea with your leg so instead you stand in the tub and wet a washcloth under the faucet and wipe the sweat and dirt from your body.   
There’s a loud banging on the bathroom door, “You better not be taking a bath with that leg of yours!” Bucky shouts.  
You let out an exasperated sigh, “Of course not, Barnes! What kind of idiot do you take me for?!”  
You pause and there’s silence.  
“Don’t answer that!” you exclaim.  
“Then why do I hear the tub running?!” he demands.  
“It’s a sponge bath, I’m sure you’ve heard of those Old Man, give me a minute and I’ll give you yours next and then I can tuck you into bed,” you continue.  
There’s more silence from the other side of the door.  
“Just don’t fuck up those stitches or else I’m going to have to come in there,” Bucky warns.  
“Ooh, I’m so scared,” you tease, “I’ve got it okay? I said this wasn’t my first mission didn’t I?”  
You hear him walk away and he leaves you alone as you clean yourself up and then remove the soaked bandage. You grimace at the sight and then wince when you place antiseptic in the wound and you even let out a small hiss or two as you clean the site with the cloth. You stop for a moment as you think you hear movement outside the bathroom door again, “I’m fine, Barnes,” you say on the off chance he might actually try to come in here.  
He did a fairly good job with the stitches considering it was a field dressing and you tape a fresh bandage over the wound.   
And then slowly but surely you get dressed into clean underwear and Bucky’s shirt.  
His shoulders are broader than yours so the shirt fits comfortably.  
You clean up the bathroom and grab a towel to lie on so you won’t ruin the sheets.  
“Bathroom’s all yours,” you say as you pass Bucky on the couch.  
His gaze follows you and he nods and stands.  
He’s already dressed in only his boxers and you turn to stare at his backside. You marvel at his muscles for a moment and then stare at his fully exposed metal arm. There are a myriad of ugly scars marring his otherwise smooth skin and you turn back around before he catches you staring again and head for the bed. You quickly toss your clothes and the antiseptic back into your bag and then pull back the covers. You spread the towel out and crawl on top of it, laying on your back and pulling the covers over you. Normally, you would sleep on your left side but the wound in your left leg is making that a little difficult at the moment.  
You almost drift off to sleep until you hear grinding metal and a muttered curse under your teammate’s breath.   
You open your eyes and lift your head to stare over at him across the room.  
“Need some help?” you ask.  
“I…” he mutters and tries again to pull out the sofa bed, “How does this damn thing work again?!”  
You smile and stand up and make your way over to him, “You’re supposed to just be able to pull here and walk backwards with it,” you explain.  
You grab the metal frame of the bed with Bucky and help him pull it.  
Not that he needs any help, but he’s clearly trying not to break it.   
There’s more grinding metal and it finally comes loose only to reveal that several springs are snapped and the frame itself is bent.  
“Oh, so it’s not you,” you say turning to him.  
Bucky sighs, “Fuck.”  
You push the bed back into place with Bucky’s help and place the couch cushions on top of it again.  
“I’ll just sleep on it like this then,” Bucky says with resignation in his voice.  
You snort, “Bucky, that couch won’t fit you like that, you’re too tall. Just sleep on the bed with me,” you say limping back towards the bed.  
“Um…no that’s alright, the couch is fine,” Bucky says quietly.  
You sit on the bed and stare at him, “I don’t have fleas, Bucky, now come on you need to get some sleep if you’re driving us home tomorrow.”  
Bucky walks towards you slowly, scratching the back of his neck, “Sure your boyfriend won’t mind another man sleeping in the same bed as you?”  
You snort again and lay back against the pillow, “I don’t have a boyfriend, Bucky, I don’t have anyone. Now, get in the damn bed.”  
“Yes, Ma’am,” Bucky says and you feel the bed dip beside you as he makes himself comfortable.  
And pretty soon you drift off to sleep.

*******

Bucky on the other hand has a much more difficult time getting to sleep.   
He lies on his back staring up at the ceiling as he listens to the sounds of her gentle breathing. He glances over at her and exhales quietly. She looks so peaceful and not at all like the terrified version of her he saw earlier when she fell from the rooftop.   
Bucky had lunged to catch her and managed to grab a hold of her right wrist.  
It’s one of the few times he’s been truly thankful for his super strength, because he knew as soon as he had her hand she wasn’t going to fall.   
And she knew it too.  
The relief that filled her eyes when he started to haul her back up to safety, he lets out another sigh. This is only the second mission they’ve been on together and the first with just the two of them, and he could have lost her today.   
He’s only known her a month or so and they’re just starting to become friends.  
They’re starting to spend their free time together and because they’re getting along so well they were sent on a mission together.  
She was friendly from the start and even though Bucky was still a little wary, he quickly felt relaxed in her presence, something about her putting him at ease.   
She even became his new sparring partner last week.  
Sam took notice of how well they were working together and recommended them both for this mission even.   
Sam also teased him about his crush on her.  
And now Bucky wonders if that hadn’t also been a reason.  
“You’ll be spending a Lot of time getting to know one another in the field and who knows maybe I’ll recommend you both for more missions in the future,” Sam said and then he chuckled to himself.  
She shifts in her sleep and Bucky watches her for another moment before staring up at the ceiling again.  
Sam’s not even here and he wants to punch that smug grin off his face.  
Bucky knows he’ll never hear the end of this one that’s for sure.  
Movement catches his attention out of the corner of his eye as the woman next to him rolls onto her left side. She immediately whimpers in pain and tries to roll onto her back again.   
Bucky grabs a hold of her side and gently helps turn her.  
She settles onto her back again and keeps her eyes screwed shut.  
“You okay?” he asks.  
Which he knows is a dumb question the moment it leaves his mouth.  
But nonetheless she nods, eyes still closed.  
She then starts to shift to her right side and Bucky helps turn her again.  
He removes his hand and she lifts up the covers and he can see the shirt she borrowed from him bunched up around her midsection exposing her stomach. His gaze wanders down further and he swallows when his eyes rest on a pair of black underwear. She lifts up a corner of the bandage on her leg and his attention is focused on her injury and his fingers ghost over hers and he examines it as well.  
“I don’t think you popped a stitch,” Bucky says quietly.  
“Good, it means you won’t scold me again,” she says resting her arm under her pillow.  
Bucky huffs, “I only scold you because I care.”  
She smiles at him.  
Bucky pulls the covers over her again gingerly and then he tentatively rests his right hand on the clothed portion of her back.   
She doesn’t protest merely looks at him curiously.  
“Can’t have you rolling away again,” he jokes.  
She smiles and then tiredly settles further into the bed, “I’m sorry I woke you up.”  
“Doll, it’s fine. I’m more worried about you than sleep,” he says.  
“Thank you for everything today,” she says softly.  
“It’s no problem, Doll, I’m sure you’d do the same for me,” he says.  
She smiles and her eyes drift over to his metal arm, given he’s lying on his left side now facing her.  
“Doesn’t that-“ she begins and stops herself.  
“Doesn’t what?” he asks.  
“Nevermind, what am I thinking of course your metal arm doesn’t fall asleep,” she says.  
Bucky lets out a chuckle, “Would be interesting if it did, but no it doesn’t hurt to lay on it,” he answers her unasked question.  
“That’s good,” she says, “At least one of us can lay on their left side.”  
Bucky smiles at her and her eyes start to slip shut again.  
And this time Bucky allows his own eyes to close as well.  
And strangely with her in his arm he finds it easier to doze off.

*******

You and Bucky woke the next morning and packed all of your things back into the rental car and started to make the drive back. Bucky was driving while you kept the two of you entertained by playing music and making idle conversation with the super soldier.   
There’s still a lot of music he hasn’t heard yet and it was fun seeing his reaction to your favorite songs for the first time. You stopped to get gas at some point midway through the drive and picked up some snacks for the road. You might have bought too many because aside from things like Hershey’s not all the common candy brands of today were around back in his day.   
You were both currently snacking while listening to an audio drama podcast on your phone.   
“I’m telling you I think he’s the murderer,” Bucky says popping another Skittle in his mouth.  
“No way, it couldn’t be him, remember he was at that dinner party the night Jonathan Smith was murdered,” you say.  
The podcast continues to play and the narrator describes the characters approaching the man seated in his office chair facing away from them as one of them slowly turns the chair to reveal…a single bullet wound in the center of the man’s forehead.  
“What?!” Bucky exclaims in shock dropping some of his Skittles, “I thought for sure it was him!”  
“I told you!” you exclaim with a laugh.  
The episode ends with eerie music and you lean forward as a text message pops up on your phone.  
“What a cliffhanger,” Bucky says shaking his head, “Doll, could you play the next episode? I gotta find out what happens next.”  
“Yeah, sure hold on a minute,” you mutter reading the text from Nat.  
Bucky glances over at you, “Whatta ya got?”  
You sigh, “Turns out an emergency mission came up and the team won’t be able to pick us up today afterall.”  
You type back a response, “So when are going home?”  
“What? Really?” Bucky asks.  
“Tomorrow morning at the earliest,” Natasha texts back, “Just get a hotel tonight and put it on our business card.”  
“Yeah, Nat says we’ll have to get a hotel tonight because they won’t be able to come pick us up until tomorrow morning at least,” you explain.  
You send her a frowny face emoji.  
You look over at Bucky again and he doesn’t seem too disappointed by this news.  
“Well, that’s not so bad, and I get to spend the day with you,” he says flashing you a smile.  
You smile too, feeling butterflies in your stomach all of a sudden.  
“You’re a real sweetheart sometimes you know that?” you ask.  
Bucky smiles wider and turns his attention back to the road.  
You get another text message and glance down at your phone again.  
“Hey, no frowny faces,” Nat responds, “Look on the bright side you’ll be able to get some Quality time with Barnes.”  
You narrow your eyes.  
“What’s that supposed to mean?” you text back.  
“Oh nothing,” Nat texts.  
It definitely means something.  
“Is everything alright?” Bucky asks.  
“Yeah, can we get lunch after we get to the hotel I’m getting hungry for something other than junk food,” you say.  
“Of course,” Bucky says, “Now I gotta hear the next part.”  
You smile and play the next episode while you look for a hotel and nearby restaurants on your phone. And when you finally get to the hotel you and Bucky get adjoining rooms so that way you won’t have to share the same bed again. You both drop off your stuff in your rooms, take quick bathroom breaks, and then head to lunch together.   
Bucky is wearing the same olive green tank top from yesterday with his leather jacket over it and a pair of jeans. You get the feeling he also didn’t pack any extra clothes like you because you hadn’t expected to be spending another day away from the compound. And you also realize that if you hadn’t needed to borrowed Bucky’s shirt he would be wearing it right now.  
Your face suddenly gets really warm in embarrassment at the thought and you avoid eye contact with Bucky for a moment.  
“Is everything alright, Doll?” he asks reaching his hand across the table for yours.  
You look up at him finally and see the concern in his soft, blue eyes.  
You smile, “Yeah, of course, I’m just thinking about how we have the rest of the day free.”  
He smiles and thumbs over your knuckles.  
He’s wearing leather gloves on both of his hands, to help hide his metal arm.  
“We do don’t we? Is there anything you wanted to do?” Bucky asks.  
His question catches you off guard.  
The server also comes by with your food and you break contact with Bucky and you both mutter thank yous as your food is placed in front of you. You ordered a sandwich and a small bowl of soup while Bucky simply ordered a burger and fries. You start digging into your food while Bucky raises his brows and stares at you.  
And you remember that he had asked you a question.  
You wipe your mouth with your napkin, suddenly a little self-conscious about Bucky watching you eat.   
Strange, it had been fine in the car, maybe it’s all the direct eye contact?  
“Um…sleep?” you ask with a shrug, “I don’t really want to walk around anywhere,” you add shifting your left leg slightly into a more comfortable position.  
Bucky nods as he takes a bite of his burger and chews and swallows before answering, “We could just watch tv then?”  
You think for a moment.  
“Hotels usually have pay-per-view movies, we could watch a movie?” you suggest.  
Bucky nods, “You take care of the movie and I’ll take care of the pizza?”  
You smile, “Deal.”  
You return your attention to your sandwich and polish it off before turning to your soup. You stare across you at the man seated opposite you as he munches on his fries.   
Bucky notices you staring, “What? Do I have something on my face?” he asks taking his napkin and wiping his mouth.  
“No, I just…” you begin.  
“You just what?” he asks smiling at you and tilting his head.  
You smile back at him, “I’m just glad we’re spending time together.”  
Bucky smiles wide, “Oh Doll,” he says fondly, “I’m glad we’re spending time together too.”  
Bucky then reaches his hand across the table and takes your left hand in his right.   
His face softens and a small smile finds it’s way onto your lips.  
“It’s great getting to know you better, after…everything it’s hard to let people in, to trust again but…” Bucky says.  
You squeeze his hand and smile at him softly.  
“I understand, Bucky, I hope to be worthy of your trust someday,” you say.  
Bucky smiles again and stares down at your joined hands before glancing back up at you, “You already are, Doll.”  
You smile and glance down at the table.  
He squeezes your hand gently and you meet his gaze again.  
And then the server comes by to refill your drinks.  
After she leaves you clear your throat, “You’ll have to tell me what movie you want to watch tonight.”  
Bucky takes a breath, “Thought I’d let you pick.”  
“Oh come on don’t tell me you’ve gotten through your list already?” you ask.  
“No, I still got a way’s to go,” Bucky says.  
“Well, how about we pick a classic that you Haven’t seen yet and that way if you have any questions I can answer them right away,” you suggest.  
Bucky smiles, “How can I say no to that offer?”  
The two of you finish your meal and when it’s time to pay, Bucky surprises you by offering to pay for both of your meals. You don’t mind splitting the bill, but he’s insistent on paying for you both.   
You relent and then the two of you head back to your hotel.

The two of you part ways to your separate rooms after Bucky mumbles something about needing a shower and you take a short nap until later that evening.   
Bucky knocks on the door in the middle of your two rooms and you slip on a pair of jeans and open it.  
Only to find Bucky’s already holding a box of pizza and breadsticks for you both in one hand and a bottle of soda in the other. You rub your eyes and yawn as he takes in your state of dress from the wrinkled shirt of his to your washed out jeans.  
“Didn’t forget our movie date did you?” he asks stepping into your room and setting everything down on the table near the window.   
“No, of course not, Buck,” you mumble, “I’d never stand you up.”  
You look him over again his hair is clean and combed and…did he iron his clothes because they look crisper than earlier.   
He is a military man, tidiness is a must, whenever possible.  
He chuckles lightly as he opens up the pizza box.  
You turn your attention away from the handsome super soldier and turn on the tv and get to work picking out and then ordering a movie as promised.  
As the movie starts Bucky hands you a slice of pizza on a napkin and the two of you sit on your bed. Now that he’s so close you can smell him, and you take a bite of pizza to stifle a sigh from how good he smells.  
Your teammate actually does end up having some questions while the movie is playing and you answer each and every one. Pretty soon the pizza and breadsticks are gone and you’re lying on your right side propped up on an elbow. Bucky is lying next to you and maybe it’s just your imagination but it seems as though the two of you are closer to one another than when you started.   
Your eyelids begin to droop as the credits finally roll.   
You let out a small yawn and sit up.  
“That was a really good movie,” Bucky says sitting up as well, “Thanks for answering my silly questions,” he adds scratching the back of his neck.  
“They’re not silly, Buck, and of course anytime,” you say stretching your arms.  
“Maybe…we could have another movie night? Back at the compound I mean,” Bucky says.  
You smile at him, “I’d like that.”  
You stand carefully and feel a pair of strong hands grip your waist suddenly.  
“Hey, will you let me take a look at that?” Bucky asks holding you steady.  
You look up at him to see his face full of concern.  
You nod.  
He helps you to the bathroom and sits you down on the toilet.  
“I’ll be right back,” he says and disappears through the bathroom door only to return shortly with a fresh bandage and antiseptic.  
He sets everything down on the counter and clears his throat awkwardly.  
You smile and shake your head, “It’s not the first time you’ve seen me without pants, Barnes.”  
You unbutton your jeans and slide them down your legs carefully and then pull them off. And while your statement is true, you also feel awkward as he kneels down in front of you. You fold your jeans and set them aside as Bucky gingerly removes your bandage. The skin around your stitches is swollen and bruised, which is to be expected but at least it doesn’t look worse.  
“Good, it doesn’t look infected,” Bucky mutters.  
He takes the antiseptic and soaks a few cotton balls with it and cleans the wound anyways. His brows are pinched together in concentration and it’s kind of cute the way he’s fretting over you.   
When he seems satisfied he re-bandages your leg, “All done,” he says using the nearby counter to stand.  
“Thank you, Nurse Barnes,” you say.  
Bucky laughs softly, “I would prefer Dr. Barnes.”  
“Men can be nurses, besides I’m pretty sure you don’t have a Ph.D,” you tease.  
Bucky begins cleaning up the mess he made, “I also didn’t go to medical school.”  
You stand up and collect your pants but don’t put them back on.  
Which catches Bucky’s attention, “You’re not gonna uh-“  
“I’m about to head to bed,” you interrupt.  
“Oh alright,” he says, “It is getting late.”  
You follow him out of the bathroom and before he heads back into his room you lightly brush your hand against his right arm.   
He immediately stills and turns to you.  
“Thanks for dinner and patching me up twice,” you say.  
He smiles at you, “’Course, Doll,” then he leans down and kisses the top of your head.  
And with that he returns to his room and you shut the door behind him.  
You set your alarm and crawl into bed and turn off the tv.

And some time later you’re awoken by the sounds of screams.  
You bolt upright in bed and look around you for the source.   
You hear a loud bang from the room directly across from you and then another scream pierces the air.  
Bucky.  
Without a second thought you throw back the covers and race to the door separating your two rooms, you fling it open and rush to his side. Bucky is thrashing around in the sheets and opens his mouth to scream again. His hair and face are soaked in sweat as every muscle in his body tenses and the vein in his forehead looks like it’s about to burst.   
If you didn’t know any better you would swear he was being electrocuted.  
“BUCKY! Wake Up!” you scream as you reach for his left arm.  
The instant you grab him, he pulls his metal arm back and lashes out at you. You let go of him and swiftly dodge his attack as his fist strikes the mattress where you were and you fall backwards onto the floor.   
Bucky sits up abruptly and stares down at you angrily.  
You’ve never seen him like this and even you have to admit it’s a little scary, is this what the infamous Winter Soldier was like?  
He breathes heavily as his eyes focus on you on the floor pressed against the bed opposite his and his face quickly morphs to one of horror and fear. His breathing is sharp and ragged and he clasps the sides of his head and turns his face from you.  
“Oh God….I’m sorry…” he whispers quietly.  
You get over your temporary shock and crawl into the bed next to him.  
He flinches away from you and averts his gaze.  
He’s like a wounded animal.  
“Bucky, you’re okay, you’re safe,” you say in the calmest voice you can manage.  
Trying to keep your voice steady and the fear from it, not of him, but of what’s happening to him.  
Cautiously, you shift closer to him and when he doesn’t pull away again you maneuver around him so you can see his face past his dark, matted hair.   
And you see something drip down his chin and onto the sheets.  
Slowly you reach your hand out and pull his hair back from his face to find him crying, “Bucky….”  
“Get away….” he says weakly.  
“Is that what you want?” you ask softly.  
He tries to look anywhere but you, “….yes, I’ll only hurt you.”  
You let out a breath and drop your hand.  
And then you glance down at your exposed thighs and you lift your hand and place it gently on his left arm and he stiffens.  
“Look at my leg, Buck. Who put those stitches there?” you ask calmly.  
It’s silent for a moment as he sobs quietly.  
And then he takes a small shuddering breath, “…I…did.”  
“And who changed the bandages earlier?” you ask.  
Another pause as his crying begins to quiet, “…I did.”  
You trail your hand down his arm and clutch his metal hand in yours and bring it to rest on your injured thigh, “And who caught me before I fell off that building?”  
“I did,” Bucky answers meeting your gaze.  
The tears silently slide down his cheeks and you intertwine your fingers with his, “How could the man who saved my life and tended to my wounds ever hurt me?”  
He’s quiet for a moment as his breathing evens out.  
“Do you still want me to leave?” you ask softly.  
“No,” he chokes out.  
You nod and release his hand only to move to lie down on the bed next to him.  
He stares at you for a moment and then slowly settles onto his side facing you.   
You reach out and brush his hair from his face.  
He looks exhausted.  
His eyes close at your touch and open when you withdraw your hand only to brush your fingertips down his right arm. In what you hope is a soothing pattern that you’re tracing on his skin. He swallows thickly and watches your hand for a moment and you stop when he moves his arm and to your surprise he brushes his own fingertips up and down your arm. You scoot closer to him and then the two of you stare silently at one another.   
You resume stroking his arm again and he lets out a small sigh.  
His arm moves underneath yours and he lays his palm against your back, holding you closer to him. You don’t bother asking him what his dream was about, if he wants to talk about it he will.   
And you don’t close your eyes until long after he does.  
And then finally you allow yourself to drift off once again.

*******

A shrill ringing wakes Bucky up and the woman next to him in his arm from their sleep. She sits up and grabs his phone off the nightstand and turns it off.   
And then she stares blearily at the screen, “You have several missed calls from Sam,” she mumbles.  
“Shit, let me see,” he says and removes his arm from around her waist and takes the phone.  
He listens to the voicemail Sam left while she gets up and out of the bed.  
Bucky stares over at her and almost misses the message he was trying to listen to.  
“They’ll be here to pick us up soon so we should head out,” he says.  
The woman nods, her back turned to him.  
His eyes are drawn to her ass briefly before he averts his gaze as she turns around.  
“I’m gonna go get dressed, will you be okay?” she asks.  
“Yeah, I’ll be fine, Doll,” Bucky says combing his fingers through his hair.  
He watches her leave and shut the door.  
He wipes his hand down his face.  
He had pretended to be asleep at one point so she wouldn’t stay up all night and then he had watched her sleep peacefully next to him and listened to her gentle breathing until eventually he too fell asleep.   
He hates that she had to see him like this.  
It’s likely she’ll never want to go on another mission alone with him again.  
And he can forget about having another movie night.  
Which is why he had wrapped her in his arm and held her as close as he dared for fear he would never get another chance again.  
He rolls out of bed and starts to get dressed himself and pack his things.  
The two of them then check out of the hotel and then he drives the rental car back to the rental place. Bucky is silent for the entirety of the drive and the woman next to him makes no move to break it. Which only further solidifies in Bucky’s mind that she doesn’t want to be around him anymore.   
After they drop off the rental car she calls them an Uber to take them to the airport.  
And just before their ride reaches them she clips something onto the metal loop of his duffle bag strap.   
He furrows his brows and frowns at it.  
It’s a small, stuffed Iron Man keychain.  
“Doll, what-“ he begins.  
“Turn around,” she insists.  
He turns towards her and she grabs a hold of his leather jacket and starts trying to pin something to it. Surprised, he doesn’t even pull back until he glances down at the object she’s trying to affix to his jacket.   
When he realizes it’s an arc reactor pin he tries to grab one of her hands and stop her, “Doll, what is this?”  
“Stop that,” she hisses trying to keep him from removing the pin now, “It’s to help with your cover.”  
“My what?” Bucky asks, “Doll, I don’t think-“  
“There’s our ride,” she interrupts pointing out a nearby vehicle pulling up to the curb.  
He releases her hand and stops fiddling with the pin and waits for the car to get closer. The driver then gets out as he parks and the woman and him both confirm the ride and exchange pleasantries.   
The driver then opens the trunk and helps her with her bag.   
The man then tries to help him with his duffle bag but Bucky declines with a wave.  
The duffle bag is mostly filled with his gear and guns and is deceptively heavy.  
Bucky places the bag in the trunk and notices the driver scrutinizing him in his periphery.   
Bucky exhales quietly as he tries to remain calm.  
The woman next to him adjusts her bag and intentionally bumps it into the Iron Man keychain and it apparently talks, “I am Iron Man,” it says in Tony’s voice.  
The driver’s attention is immediately drawn to the keychain and away from Bucky’s face. Bucky shuts the trunk and turns carefully towards the man and the driver’s eyes move to the pin on Bucky’s jacket.  
“Fan of Iron Man huh?” the driver asks.  
“Oh the biggest,” the woman behind him says stepping forwards and looping her right arm under Bucky’s right and settling it across his abdomen and pressing her face to his arm.  
Bucky decides it’s probably best to play along.  
“Yeah, he’s a real hero you know,” Bucky says.  
The driver smiles in approval, “That he is,” and starts to head back to the driver’s seat.  
He hears a sigh of relief from the woman next to him and she unloops her arm and heads to the back door.   
Bucky steps forwards and intercepts her, opening the door for her.  
She smiles at him and gets in and then he slides in next to her.   
Her and the driver exchange a few words that Bucky isn’t listening to as he buckles his seatbelt and stares at the woman next to him.   
“So what were you in town for?” the driver asks making eye contact with Bucky.  
“Mini vacation,” Bucky manages, “There’s a lot of museums around here.”  
The woman next to him loops her arm through his right arm again, “He surprised me with a small weekend trip for my birthday,” she says smiling up at him.  
He feels his heart beat hard against his chest and Bucky smiles back and he watches as the fake smile she plastered on becomes genuine as her eyes crinkle.  
“That’s nice, how long have you two been together?” the driver asks.  
Bucky’s heart stops.  
He was aware that the two of them were trying to play off as though they were a couple but to know that the man actually believes that a girl like her would be with a guy like him…  
“Two years,” she answers easily.

They keep up the small talk until they get to the airport and part ways.  
Since they’re taking the Quinjet home they bypass security and head to where it’s parked in the hanger. The ride home is largely uneventful as they bring Natasha up to speed on the mission. And when they get to the compound Bucky and the woman he has begun to have feelings for part ways to their own rooms.   
He had already stowed his weapons and was now preoccupied with tossing his dirty laundry into the hamper. He removes the small Iron Man pin from his jacket and stares at it between his metal fingers.  
There’s a knock on his door.  
“Come in,” Bucky says.  
The door opens and Bucky glances up to see Sam walk in.  
“Hey,” Bucky greets setting the pin down on his dresser.  
“Hey, Man, what were you expecting someone else?” Sam says stepping further into the room and casting a glance behind him.  
Bucky glances down at the keychain still on his bag and shakes his head, “No, not exactly. Did you need something?”  
“Just came to congratulate you, I heard you two worked pretty well on the assignment, maybe I ought to recommend you both for more missions together,” Sam says in a teasing tone crossing his arms.  
“I…don’t know if she’ll want that, Sam, so please don’t force her to hang around me,” Bucky says.  
Sam’s smile fades, “Alright, what happened?”  
Bucky sighs.  
He should have known Sam would see right through him.  
He knows Bucky’s history and was a soldier himself.  
Bucky gestures vaguely to the door and Sam nods and walks over to it and closes it.  
Bucky then sits on the edge of his bed and combs his metal fingers through his hair as Sam approaches him.  
“The second night I had a nightmare,” Bucky begins.  
Sam tilts his head back, “Aw, hell, Man, did she?”  
“She saw everything,” Bucky says staring at the floor, “So I doubt she’ll want to be stuck with me on another mission.”  
Sam is quiet for a moment, “If you want I could have a talk with her, she only knows some of your past.”  
“No, no, thanks though, Sam,” Bucky says.  
Sam nods, “She’s not the kind of person to hold it against you. I bet if you just talked to her she would understand.”  
“Thanks for the help, Sam, but I think keeping my distance is better for now,” Bucky says.  
“You don’t have to keep everybody out you know, it’s okay if you let some people in,” Sam reminds him.  
There’s another knock on his door.  
Bucky stares up at the door confused, “Come in.”  
The door opens and the woman walks into his room and she’s a little surprised to see Sam already there.   
“Hi,” she greets Sam awkwardly putting her hand behind her back.  
“Hey, what ya got there?” Sam asks peering at a bundle of fabric in her hand.  
“Oh um…” she mumbles and then she stares at Bucky and holds it out, “You forgot your shirt in your hotel room so I stuffed it into my bag for safekeeping.”  
“Oh right, I forgot about it,” Bucky says smiling and taking the gray t-shirt from her.  
Sam’s eyes dart between the two of them a smile tugging on his lips.  
Great, another thing for Sam to tease him endlessly about.  
“Thanks, Doll,” Bucky says.  
She smiles at him and turns to walk out of his room, but she stops at the door and looks back, “Hey, are you still up for that movie night sometime?”  
Bucky smiles at her, “Yeah, yeah I am.”  
“Ok, good,” she says smiling at him.  
There’s a beat or two of silence that passes between them.  
“Well, goodbye,” she says.  
“Bye, Doll,” Bucky says.  
And then she leaves finally.  
Sam turns back to Bucky with the smuggest grin he’s ever seen and his eyebrows raised.  
Bucky frowns, “Don’t.”  
“I thought you’d at least start dating before you let her borrow your clothes,” Sam says ignoring his pleas.  
Bucky groans and tosses the shirt onto the bed, “She didn’t bring pajamas okay?”  
Sam chuckles, “Whatever you say, Man,” he then starts to walk towards the door.  
Bucky shakes his head again and stares at the shirt.  
Sam pats the doorway before he leaves, “Hey, at least you know she doesn’t hate you.”  
Bucky smiles and Sam disappears down the hall.  
He then crumples up the shirt, prepared to throw it into the hamper as well, but stops.   
Bucky brings the garment up to his nose and inhales.  
He sighs to himself, it smells like her.  
He smiles and tosses it in the hamper finally.  
Now that he’s got a little downtime a movie night might be just what he needs.


End file.
